Ellisys USB Explorer 280 -
Multifunction USB 3.0 and 2.0 Test System

Overview

The Ellisys USB Explorer 280 is a sophisticated protocol
test and analysis system for USB 3.0 SuperSpeed 5Gbps traffic monitoring,
driver and software stack debugging, and performance analysis. The USB Explorer
280 is designed to reduce R&D time by finding issues early and debugging
more efficiently, and can improve quality and reliability by verifying adherence
to the specification.

The USB Explorer 280 builds on a successful legacy of Ellisys USB analyzer and generator products, and delivers a superior design efficiency that includes an embedded 4GB of memory, configuration-flexible hardware, and a custom-made processor with the power needed to test and analyze the USB 3.0 5GT/s SuperSpeed mode.

Each Ellisys USB Explorer 280 hardware unit is capable of acting as either a protocol analyzer or packet generator, depending on the configuration.

The USB Explorer 280 Analyzer is based on the intuitive Ellisys Visual USB™ software application that is well-proven for performance optimization and validation of device enumeration, bus operation, and interoperability testing. New analysis features designed specifically for USB SuperSpeed have been added to provide the user with a comprehensive analysis solution ideal for any USB design effort.

The Ellisys USB Explorer 280 Duo is a highly flexible bundle of two full-featured units that can be used as one analyzer and one generator, two analyzers, or two generators, depending on the needs of the user. Even more convenient that simply having these two functions on a single hardware unit, this innovative and flexible architecture allows engineers to share units among the R&D team.

The USB Explorer 280 is connected in a logically passive
mode to record traffic and bus events passing between host and device.
The analyzer provides same-link concurrent support for USB 3.0 and USB
2.0 speeds, which is especially valuable for development of hubs supporting
USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 specifications.

Ellisys USB Explorer 280 Generator

Generator Applications

USB host and device emulation

Testing of error recovery mechanisms

Stress testing for performance

Compliance verification

Generator Features

Generation of arbitrary packets with precise timing

Error injection capabilities
to test recovery mechanisms

Replay of traces captured by analyzer

Powerful scripting environment with
integrated editor and debugger

Host Emulation Setup

The USB Explorer 280 Generator is connected through a
USB Explorer 280 Analyzer to a USB device. The Generator emulates the
automated protocol processes of the USB host, while allowing the user
full control over these processes, including arbitrary packet and error
generation. The Analyzer records all traffic and gives realtime performance
and compliance information.

Videos

July 2012: Cypress Demonstrates Maximum FX3 Throughput with EX280

Screenshots

Ellisys USB 3.0 analysis softwareThe following screenshot shows the Ellisys USB 3.0 analysis
software. A Mass Storage trace is open and a SCSI Read transfer is open down
to the packets.

This screenshot shows a full overview of the Mas Storage traffic
in the Instant Timing view. The two lines represent the upstream (top) and
downstream (bottom) links. Green represents IN transactions and blue OUT transactions.
The first part of the traffic is bursted and achieves about 400 MB/s while
the following traffic shows Not Ready mechanism and achieves about 100 MB/s.

The next screenshot is more zoomed-in and we can distinguish
packets and ordered sets. The gray blocks are TSEQ ordered sets. Both brown
and green packets are flagged because low-level errors have been detected.

Ellisys USB 3.0 generation software
The following screenshot shows the Ellisys USB 3.0 generator IDE. A script emulating
Mass Storage traffic is open. This software can be used to edit, run and debug
scripts all within the same environment.

Ellisys USB 3.0 Examiner compliance suiteThe Ellisys SuperSpeed compliance software detects automatically the capabilities
of the host or of the device, and displays the relevant tests accordingly.
A simple click will run all necessary test and a compliance report will be
generated at the end of the session.